SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — After a year spent as an NFL nomad bouncing around the league, Joshua Dobbs has had a much quieter 2024 season as a backup to quarterback Brock Purdy in San Francisco.
Dobbs gets a chance to finish his first season with the 49ers by making a Week 18 start in place of an injured Purdy on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals in what can serve as a head start to his offseason free agency.
“Anytime you get a chance to get on the field and play it’s always an audition, not only for the team that you’re on, but for the other 31 teams,” Dobbs said Thursday. “Especially knowing my contract situation and being a free agent in March. So it’s opportunity to go out and show what I can do here as a 49er in this scheme as well as for other opportunities. I kind of let free agency and all that stuff work itself out when that time comes, but I’m just excited for the opportunity to get on the field and play.”
This season has been far different than the whirlwind 2023 for Dobbs.
He started the calendar year by starting the season finale of the 2022 season for Tennessee on Jan. 7 before signing as a free agent with Cleveland in March. He was then traded to Arizona less than three weeks before the season opener. Dobbs jumped right in and became the Week 1 starter before being dealt again before the trade deadline to Minnesota.
Dobbs then came off the bench to lead the Vikings to a win just a few days after arriving and without even knowing his teammates’ names. He started 12 games in all after making just two in his first five seasons, establishing himself as a capable NFL quarterback.
He then signed with San Francisco in March and spent most of this season getting himself immersed in coach Kyle Shanahan's offense that is prevalent around the league and as the third-stringer behind starter Purdy and Brandon Allen.
“I don’t feel like a different guy, but it’s been good to be in one place for the year for sure and be around the same terminology, same teammates, same coaches and just get consistent coaching within one scheme,” Dobbs said. “So I’ve enjoyed that.”
But with Purdy out this week with an elbow injury, Shanahan opted to go with Dobbs as the starter because of his mobility behind a patchwork offensive line that will have fourth-stringers at left guard and left tackle because of injuries.
This is the second straight season that Purdy sat out the regular-season finale, resting in Week 18 last season after the Niners clinched the top seed to give Sam Darnold a chance to start after spending the season in San Francisco trying to revive his career.
Darnold took what he learned with the 49ers and signed with Minnesota in free agency. He has thrown 35 TD passes this season, earned Pro Bowl honors and has helped the Vikings win 14 games to make the playoffs in a turnaround season that Dobbs has noted.
“One can not see the story and the success that he’s had,” Dobbs said. “Obviously, I was in that building in Minnesota last year. I know how special that team is and that building is. It’s been really cool to watch him step in and and take advantage of that opportunity to lead those guys.”
NOTES: TE George Kittle (ankle, hamstring) returned to practice on a limited basis after missing Wednesday's session. ... S Ji'Ayir Brown (ankle) didn't practice after being limited on Wednesday. ... DE Nick Bosa (knee) remained one of several players still out of practice. ... Kittle won the Garry Niver Award awarded by the local media to the player who shows the most professionalism and cooperation with the media. ... The Niners signed DL Tarron Jackson to the practice squad. He has played 24 games for Carolina and Philadelphia.
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Josh Dubow, The Associated Press
